ESEP Download Resources : UP-date July 2009
Welcome to the June 2009 issue of UP-date, the e-Newsletter for the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programmes
PROGRAMME NEWS
Third Application Round
The closing date for submission of First Stage Applications for the Third Round applications is 14 August 2009. The feedback on these First Stage applications will be available from 11 September 2009, and the closing date for submission of Second Stage Applications is 9 October 2009.
Advisory Group Nominations
Just a reminder that Scottish Government is seeking Nominations for Membership of the Advisory Groups for the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland ERDF and ESF Programmes, and is encouraging individuals and organisations who have not previously participated to consider becoming involved. Support and training for all Advisory Group members will be provided on the scoring process and use of the €UROSYS system. More detailed information, including how to apply is available from the ESEP website.
Application Seminars
ESEP Ltd recently held a series of awareness-raising events throughout the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programme area in preparation for the Third Round of funding. A copy of the presentation given at the event and an Advice Note for ESF applicants is now available for download on the ESEP website.
Extraordinary PMC 4 September 2009
The Lowlands and Uplands Scotland Programme Monitoring Committee will meet on 4 September 2009 in Glasgow to consider options for ESF and ERDF spend in future application rounds. An agenda for the PMC will be posted on the ESEP website one week prior to the meeting, and the papers and a summary of the decisions will be posted shortly after the meeting.
OTHER NEWS
Launch of European Commission Microcredit Funding
On 2 July the European Commission announced it was setting up ‘Progress’ a new microfinance facility with an initial budget of €100 million. Progress proposes to provide microcredit to small businesses and to people who have lost their jobs and want to start their own small business. The purpose of microcredit is to make it easier for people who might have difficulties in accessing funds for business start-ups to access loans of under €25,000. It is tailored towards micro-enterprises (employing fewer than 10 people) and women and men who are workless and want to go into self-employment but do not have access to traditional banking services. Additional support will include mentoring, training and coaching and assistance in preparing a business plan.
DG Regio Panorama Magazine
As 2009 has been designated the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, the latest edition of DG Regio’s Panorama magazine focuses on examples of creative and innovative projects from Liverpool, Sweden, as well as interviews with Dirk Ahner, the Director General for Regional Policy, and Odile Quintin, Director General for Education and Culture.
State of the Economy
Scottish Government have published the latest update on the state of the economy by Scotland’s Chief Economic Adviser Dr Andrew Goudie. This economic assessment includes information on recent global and Scottish economic developments, and future prospects for the global and Scottish economies.
University of Edinburgh Business School – Summary Report on The Growth Series
This report is the outcome of a series of four public debates held over the past academic year that examined the challenges and opportunities in creating an innovative, entrepreneurial Scotland and includes recommendations arising from these debates.
Known as the Growth Series, these debates involved some of Scotland’s leading academics, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and policy makers, including Jack Perry, the CEO of Scottish Enterprise, Bill Jamieson, Executive editor of The Scotsman, and Doug Richard, one of the original dragons on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.
The report’s recommendations carry a central message that it is time for Scotland to raise its game to take bold steps and to realise the wealth inherent in this country's innovative and entrepreneurial capabilities.
Renewables Action Plan
Scottish Government recently launched an action plan to drive the development of renewable energy. The Renewables Action Plan identifies actions by Scottish Government, its agencies and partners to ensure that at least one-fifth of Scotland’s energy comes from renewables by 2020, and proposes to:
- Kick-start a renewable heat industry to massively increase take-up (renewable heat is identified in the Plan as heat produced from low carbon renewable sources such as biomass, heat pumps (ground source, air source and/or water source), heat from waste biomass and anaerobic digestion, including biogas, solar heating, wind to heat and geothermal heat.
- Identify necessary infrastructure projects and options to deliver them
- Get the skills mix right to maximise potential and attract investment (addressing the needs of the renewable heat sector, and identifying solutions to any labour/skills barriers identified in the baseline study on the energy supply chain in Scotland
Skills Improvement Strategy
The recently launched Skills Improvement Strategy outlines how the Scottish Government, business representatives’ organisations, Sector Skills Councils, the STUC, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and others will increase awareness of the relevance and benefits of better skills use, and gives examples of the range of workplace practices that help increase productivity and job satisfaction.
